Glickman meets with governors over trade complaints

Published: Thursday, October 01, 1998

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Clinton administration says it will try to resolve complaints it has received about Canadian farm trade that have prompted border-state governors to block or delay truckloads of grain and livestock. "The intensity of this issue is growing," Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said after meeting Tuesday with the governors of North Dakota and Montana and several lawmakers.

"It's our obligation to get these issues resolved to ensure fair and reciprocal treatment on cross-border traffic."

American farmers have a long list of gripes about Canadian trade, concerns that have been exacerbated by this year's steep decline in grain prices. Among their allegations are that Canadian commodities are unfairly subsidized and are treated with pesticides banned in the United States.

Glickman called the complaints "irritants." Montana Gov. Mark Racicot said U.S. farmers are "getting nibbled to death by ducks."

Glickman said the administration will seek talks with Canada and will ensure that the Agriculture Department is enforcing trade laws properly.

The farmers' complaints led South Dakota Gov. Bill Janklow to block Canadian grain and livestock from entering his state, while Montana and North Dakota have slowed Canadian trucks with increased inspections.

Canada last week threatened retaliation and is seeking action under the North American Free Trade Agreement and through the World Trade Organization, which regulates international trade. U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky responded by telling Canada to "take decisive action to level the playing field."

Peter Scher, who will lead the Clinton administration's efforts to resolve the complaints said there were both "legitimate concerns" and "misconceptions" about U.S.-Canada trade.

The governors were asked to provide a full list of the complaints and then the administration "will figure out which one of these irritants we can resolve, said Scher, who is President Clinton's special trade ambassador for agriculture.

Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., said Tuesday's meeting ensured that the administration and governors are following a coordinated strategy. "We're all on the same page," he said after the meeting with Glickman.

But Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said the disputes cannot be resolved without reopening the 1988 agreement that governs U.S.-Canadian trade. He believes Canada was unfairly allowed to keep agricultural subsidies that let its farmers undercut U.S. producers.

"We have to have a means of fixing mistakes in previous agreements," Conrad said. "Otherwise, we will live with them for the life of those agreements and that's forever."